Detergent manufacturers are continuously seeking ways to improve the soil removal benefits of their detergents. In particular, removal of greasy soils, such as those from bacon grease or butter, is desired because of the prevalence of such stains. However, such stains are generally hydrophobic and can be particularly challenging to remove in the aqueous environment of common automatic washing machines.
Although detergent adjuncts such as enzymes or polymers may be added to detergent compositions to fight target stains, such adjuncts can bring added cost and/or compatibility issues.
Furthermore, surfactants remain the detergent formulator's workhorse ingredient. While it is possible to develop new-to-the-world surfactants, it may be desirable to work with known ingredients in a new way for cost, supply chain, and/or compatibility reasons.
Additionally, many traditional surfactants are petroleum-derived, but today's consumer tends to be more environmentally conscious and may seek products that are non-petroleum derived and/or naturally sourced. However, the consumer still demands quality performance from such products.
There is a need for detergent compositions that provide improved performance, particularly the compositions include known and/or naturally sourced materials.